Matthew 25:35-40,45.

I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me. … Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’”

When I was 7 one of fondest memories was the seesaw.  We had four of them in the “little kids” playground at Marina Del Mar Elementary school.  Each was set in concrete in a dirty, sandy area. Each recess included running to this simple lever-based plaything.  The excitement was not in the contraption itself, but having someone to share the experience. It was a gleeful thrill to be raised up in the air with a little push.  Then came the dependency and the assurance of an equal push of your companion would bring me back down. Up and down, up and down, it was wonderful.  But the bell would ring and inevitably either I or my partner in joy would stepped off when at the bottom.  Down you would come with a great thump. We all have all felt the disappointment and pain of the bottom. Mercy is someone always willing to balance you.  Balance, that is mercy.